HAMMOND, La. – Playing as close to 100 percent as its been in 2017, the Southeastern Louisiana softball team earned a doubleheader sweep of Lamar in Southland Conference action Friday evening at North Oak Park.
 
The Lady Lions (16-18, 5-6 Southland) remained undefeated in home conference games with Friday's sweep. Lamar, which came in having won 11 of its last 13 and in second place in the league standings, fell to 17-17 overall and 8-3 in league action.
 
Southeastern has battled through injuries throughout the first two months of the season were back to near full health with the return of two-time All-Southland Conference outfielder Kinsey Nichols to the lineup.
 
In the opener, junior infielder Mahalia Gibson hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to power the Lady Lions to a 2-1 victory. SLU junior pitcher Rachel Hayes (6-6) went the distance in the circle for Southeastern, allowing no earned runs in the complete game effort.
 
Junior outfielder Kalyn Watts hit a two-run home run in the nightcap, as Southeastern earned a 6-3 victory. The Lady Lions took advantage of five Lamar errors to score four unearned runs off Lamar starter Laura Napoli (8-7). SLU senior Kasey Nielson (1-1) tossed 3.1 shutout innings of relief to earn her first victory of the season.
 
Southeastern will look to complete the series sweep on Saturday, as the two teams meet at 12 p.m. as part of Super Lion Saturday. LionVision subscribers will be able to access a live video stream (no audio) of Saturday's series finale at www.LionSports.net/watch.
 
Game One – Southeastern Louisiana 2, Lamar 1
Southeastern looked poised to score versus Ciara Luna (5-10) in the bottom of the first inning. Sophomore shortstop Jaquelyn Ramon walked, stole second and moved to third on a Nichols ground out. However, Ramon was thrown out trying to steal home to keep the Lady Lions off the board.
 
Lamar mounted its first threat in the top of the third inning against Hayes. Shelby Hughston walked and Ashley McDowell singled to put a pair of runners on. After Hughston stole third, Brittany Rodriguez tried to bunt her home, but Hayes made a nice play and junior catcher Carlie Whittington blocked the plate, retiring Houston for the second out. Hayes then forced Brynn Baca to ground out to keep the Cardinals off the board.
 
Hayes pitched out of trouble by stranding a pair of Lamar runners in both the fourth and fifth innings. Lamar finally got on the board with an unearned runs in the top of the sixth inning. Henderson reached on an error and eventually scored on an infield single by McDowell to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Nichols singled to put the tying run on base with two outs. Gibson then hit the next pitch over the left field fence. The Hattiesburg, Mississippi native's third home run of the season staked SLU to a 2-1 advantage.
 
Hayes made it stand up in the top of the seventh inning. She hit Baca to put the tying run aboard, but struck out Kelly Meeuwsen and forced Hankins to pop out to close out the win.
 
Game Two – Southeastern Louisiana 6, Lamar 3
Lamar struck first against junior Lacey Hill in the top of the second inning without the benefit of a hit. Hill walked Meeuwsen, hit Shelby Henderson, walked Paige Holmes and hit Hughston to force in a run to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead.
 
Napoli made the lead hold until the Lady Lion half of the third. With two outs, senior third baseman Mychal Truxillo walked and Watts followed with a two-run home run over the left field fence. The home run was her team-high fifth of the season – as well as her third in the last five games – and put SLU ahead, 2-1.
 
Lamar would jump back ahead in the top of the fourth inning. Sloppy defense by Nichols, Whittington and Ramon allowed Elizabeth Castillo to score the tying run. Later in the frame, Rodriguez singled home the go-ahead run and chased Hill from the game with two outs. Nielson came in and retired Baca to get out of the inning down just 3-2.
 
SLU took the lead for good thanks to three Lamar errors in the bottom of the fifth inning. The Cardinal miscues by Hughston, Napoli and Baca allowed Whittington, Ramon and Watts to all score and put Southeastern ahead, 5-3.
 
In the bottom of the sixth inning, Gibson reached on an error to lead off the frame and later scored on an RBI groundout by freshman designated player Mattie Ort. Freshman second baseman Ali McCoy followed with her first collegiate triple, but Napoli forced sophomore catcher Whitney Sullivan to hit into a double play to keep the lead at 6-3.
 
Nielson didn't need the insurance run, as she shook off a two-out single in the seventh by Meeuwsen and forced Sable Hankins to pop out to Ramon for the game's final out. Nielson, a Prairieville, Louisiana native, scattered three hits in the shutout relief effort.